A HiLASE anniversary: 15 years of pushing the boundaries of light

Fifteen years ago, HiLASE started with 15 people and a bold idea: to develop laser technologies that could make a real difference beyond the laboratory. Today, the centre is home to more than 130 HiLASIANS working together to advance laser technology and turn scientific discoveries into solutions for industry, space, defence and security, and other demanding applications.

A lot has changed since 2011. HiLASE has grown from a project on paper into a fully equipped research centre with unique laser systems and specialised laboratories, built and run by an international team: scientists, engineers, business and administrative staff, all pushing the science forward. The centre has developed record-breaking laser technologies, built strong partnerships with industry and research organisations around the world, and helped move laser innovation from the laboratory towards the real-world.

What hasn't changed is how we work. HiLASIANS find their own way, own what they build, lean on each other when it gets hard, and aren't afraid to say when something isn't working. Now nearing ten times the original size, the team still runs on these basic principles. And, naturally, we still LOVE lasers.

Fifteen is an exciting age. Old enough to know what you're capable of, young enough to know there's so much more to discover. The challenges ahead are big, and so is our ambition to keep pushing.

So, we're lighting the candles the only way that feels appropriate at HiLASE: with lasers.